There are multiple problems with getting attorneys to track and enter time on a daily basis. Let’s try and clearly identify the problem and see if we have some solutions.
 

  1. It’s not natural. We can demand and threaten all we want, but quite frankly, detailed time entry is not natural for a professional. How would all of us non-attorneys like to track every tiny task we do all day long, and enter it into a computer down to the tenth of an hour (.10)? You have to be kidding right? Let’s see a show of hands, just as I thought, no hands are in the air.
  2. It’s a form of micro-management. I want to practice law, solve problems, compete like an athlete, and detailed time entry is the client’s form of micro-managing every little thing I do.
  3. It’s not convenient. Stop what you are doing, enter the time, start back up again and switch to work on another matter. This is a painful process, almost as painful as just working all day (week?) and then trying to parcel together all the (hundreds?) of time entries for the day. Let’s see, it’s 5PM and I need to recreate my time for today, did I talk to that client for 6 minutes, or was it closer to 12 minutes, I’ll enter .20 hours (12 minutes).
  4. Out of the office … too bad. I’m off-site doing depositions and meeting with my client, detailed time entry isn’t very easy. It’s a big case and I’ll be doing this for the next few days. I’ll just enter in 8 hours and call it “depositions and meeting with client”, nope can’t do that, the carrier won’t pay they want “micro-management detail”.

 We could of course go on and on about the “issues”, now let’s talk about how to improve the process and profitability.
 Improving Time Entry:

  1. Admit it’s a Pain. The first step to get attorneys on board with the time entry process is to admit that all of the “issues” above are true and painful. No attorney enjoys entering time. Make sure the attorneys know that you know this and are prepared to mitigate the pain as much as possible.
  2. The Real Reason for Time Entry, it’s the Job. When you want to charge clients $250 – $1,000/hour, with few restrictions or limits they want detail for every moment of your time. If you don’t like this level of scrutiny find a new job, many others have. Just accept this as a way of life, the life you’ve chosen.
  3. The Firm will Help. Firms are smart to individually help attorneys with time entry. Senior attorneys and partners may have secretaries to help them, we assume their billing rates are high enough to easily afford the labor costs. Time entry software isn’t always easy, take extra time to train attorneys, be patient, show them short-cuts after they learn the basic program. Provide attorneys the option of using a web time entry product or a mobile app to assist when not in the office.
  4. New “Found Time” Tools. Utilize the latest tools that track the attorney’s entire day on a task by task basis, then easily turns them into otherwise missing time.
  5. Send it off-Shore. That’s right, if time entry is just going to be a problem and expensive attorneys and staff struggle with it, take a look at off-shore time entry. Scan old-fashion paper sheets and let someone else do it.